NASA Computer Used to Ruin a Businessman's Credit

A software engineer/landord with high-level security clearance has been charged with stealing the identity of David Welch, a former tenant, using a NASA computer at the Kennedy Space Center.

Apparently, 33 year old Kevin Landivar had a dispute with Welch over $US200 in back rent and decided to "harass" him by using his personal information to fill out over 150 loan applications. With each check of his credit history, his score dropped—from the 700s to the 500s in a matter of months. Being the owner of a legal-staffing business, the deterioration of his credit made it impossible for him to pay his debts.

With the help of his own technology expert, Welch was able to trace the activity to a NASA computer at the Kennedy Space Centre. Police and investigators were then able to narrow it down to a computer in cubicle 2140S on the second floor of the Joint Base Operations Building and, eventually, to Landivar himself. He now faces a prison term of up to five years and fines of $US5000. Naturally, this incident raises a few questions. Landivar sent a lot of Welch's personal information to his own home computer—how did NASA not catch it? If Landivar was sending data to his home (linking himself to the crime) why use a NASA computer in the first place? Should this be a federal crime? [TC Palm via Fark Image via Custom Delivery Services]

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